2020 05 17 - Faith&Fear - Even If Faith

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Today’s Passage: Daniel 3

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Have you ever faced a really scary choice? You know, one of those decisions that carried major risks for your career, health, family, or just your future in general.

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SERIES INTRODUCTION

We are living in a world overrun by fear. The Corona virus dominates the news and has us locked away in our homes. Meanwhile with businesses closed or limited workers are being laid off or furloughed. People are afraid of getting sick, afraid of losing their job, afraid of losing their home. Where do we turn in the middle of this much fear?

RECAP PREVIOUS WEEKS IN SERIES

Starting principal:

You get to choose whether to empower faith or fear in your life

God tells us: “Fear Not...”

“I am with you “

“I care for you”

“I have overcome the world”

“I have defeated death”

CONNECT THIS WEEK’S MESSAGE

If we are going to choose to empower faith in our life, what should that look like. What kind of faith should we be seeking to build. Today we are going to look at what it means to have

“Even if” Faith

EXPLORE

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE

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Set up the story.

Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego- exiles who had risen to high ranks in the Babylonian government, but they didn’t fit in.

Nebuchadnezar’s statue: 90 feet tall by 9 feet wide

The command: when the music plays fall down and worship

Daniel 3:15–18 NASB95

15 “Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT OF THE SCRIPTURE

Any relevant exegetical notes to better understand the scripture

MAIN IDEA

Transition from scripture to main idea

THE MAIN THING:

“Even if” faith doesn’t require a specific outcome for obedience.

Explore the Main Idea

1. “Even if” faith is certain of what God can do

Daniel 3:17 NASB95

17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

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2. “Even if” faith is realistic about what could happen

Daniel 3:18 NASB95

18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

SHARE: What is your fiery furnace right now?

look at what “Even if” faith looks like in the life of the apostle Paul:

Philippians 2:17 NASB95

17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

3. “Even if” faith sees obedience as the only option

Daniel 3:18 NASB95

18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

We are often willing to endure pain in order to accomplish something that we view is worth it.

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4. “Even if” faith sees the glory of God as the desired outcome

Daniel 3:26–30 NASB95

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

Mark 15:39 ESV

39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Transform

Coming Back to the Main Thing

“Even if” faith doesn’t require a specific outcome for obedience.

Bring to Primary Application

Is your obedience based on you getting what you want or God getting glory in your situation?

Lead Application to Commitment

“I’m going to do it so that God is glorified through it”

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Invitation

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